Prevalence of Childhood Obesity among Primary School Students at Taif Governorate, Saudi Arabia

Background: Obesity in children is rapidly emerging as a global epidemic that will have profound public health consequences as overweight children become overweight adults particularly if obesity is present in adolescence.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among school children between 6-12 years (males and females) at Taif primary schools and determine the associated dietary risk factors for overweight and obesity.

Methods: A cross sectional analytic study was implemented included a representative sample of primary school students (boys and girls) enrolled in governmental schools in Taif, Saudi Arabia, 2014-2015. Data were collected by using valid self-administered questionnaire, with family help. It including socio-demographic characteristics and detailed dietary history. Body mass index-for-age percentiles of CDC were utilized in this study to diagnose obesity.

Results: Among schoolboys, the prevalence of overweight was 10.7%, while prevalence of obesity was 7.6%; the problem seemed to be worse in girls, where the prevalence of overweight and obesity were 16.8% and 18.2%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that girls were al almost double risk for developing overweight/obesity compared to boys ((aOR=1.93; 95%CI: 1.03-3.60, p<0.05). Habit of eating cheeps potatoes at school at abnormal rate was associated with almost three-folded risk for obesity or overweight compared to eating cheeps potatoes within normal (aOR=3.14; 95%CI: 1.17-8.41). School children who had the habit of taking fast foods at least three times/week were more likely to develop obesity or overweight compared to those who did not take fast foods (aOR=1.98; 95%CI:1.08-6.30).

Conclusions: Overweight and obesity among primary school children in Taif city, Saudi Arabia is a public health problem affecting more than one-third of girls and almost one fifth of boys. It confirms the significant association between some unhealthy dietary habits and increase prevalence of childhood obesity.